Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Patiala, 
In a blatant misuse of labour welfare funds in the state, the officials concerned are said to have given financial benefits worth Rs 4.40 crore to as many as 5,126 ineligible workers.
The said irregularities were highlighted in the Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG) report presented in the ongoing Budget session in the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday. The irregular disbursement of funds, in fact, had openly violated the SC guidelines.
The funds, in seven of 23 circles of the state, were approved by the SDMs. Consequently, poor registered construction workers had to face the brunt of the callousness of the labour officials. The wrong-doings had surfaced in the first-ever audit report of the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board (BOCW), headed by the CM, by the CAG from 2013- 18.
Expenditure of Rs48.87 cr
The board incurred a loss of Rs48.26 crore for the purchase of land and building of four centres to develop the skill of the construction workers. The audit observed that the said spending was a violation of the SC order dated September 2015, whereby, the funds couldn’t be spend on anything but welfare.
The CAG said, “Injudicious decision of the department to continue works despite the SC order resulted into ungainful expenditure of Rs48.87 crore.”
Cess loss of Rs23 cr
The audit also reveals that 11 development authorities in seven circles had not deposited the cess funds with the BOCW. However, the authorities had collected Rs23.97 crore during the said period.
Ironically, the board had neither imposed any penalty against these authorities nor initiated any action to recover the arrears of the cess. Notably, the Labour Department levies cess at the rate of 1% of the cost of construction.
The experts said despite the issue being brought to the CM’s notice in last October, no action was taken against the erring officials. In fact, some of the officials who were in dock got promoted. Reason: They are said to be the advisers to the Labour Minister.
Vijay Walia, an activist for construction workers’ welfare, said, “Fund bungling worth Rs100 crore is only the tip of the iceberg because the said audit was only of seven of 23 circles.” He said there was a huge lobby of middlemen that played an important role in decision-making.
